The journey of Ayurvedic medicines to nutraceuticals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i7.1656Abstract
This review examines the historical evolution of the ancient Indian medical system, Ayurveda, through its precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial eras, along with its transformation into the modern framework of nutraceuticals. The article explores how Prakriti and the Tridosha Theory connect to genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, highlighting how doshic imbalances correlate with key molecular pathways involved in inflammation, metabolism, and stress regulation. Integrating traditional Ayurvedic perspectives with biomedical research supports Ayurveda as a promising foundation for advancing personalized healthcare and preventive medicine. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant global shift toward natural, accessible health solutions. This led to substantial growth in the nutraceutical market. Nutraceuticals are bioactive compounds derived from foods and herbs that provide health benefits by acting as preventive or therapeutic agents in managing chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, and cancer. For example, nutraceuticals such as curcumin, resveratrol, and ashwagandha have been shown to modulate gene expression, influence cellular signaling pathways, and reduce oxidative stress, allowing them to enhance an individual’s disease resilience. Ultimately, this review highlights the continued relevance of Ayurveda in the form of nutraceuticals, advancing holistic and integrative global health.
Keywords: Ayurveda, Tridosha, Prakriti, nutraceuticals, epigenetics, neurodegenerative diseases, preventative healthcare, metabolism, colonialism, stress, holistic medicine
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Functional Foods in Health and Disease
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Any manuscripts or substantial parts of it, submitted to the journal must not be under consideration by or previously published in any other journal or citable form. Authors are required to ensure that no material submitted as part of a manuscript infringes existing copyrights or the rights of a third party. In submitting one's article in any form, the author has assigned the FFC publishing rights and has agreed to an automatic transfer of the copyright to the publisher. This is so that the FFC may create print option journals, for example, at the FFC’s discretion. If the author wishes to distribute their works by means outside of the FFC, for example within their community, they will have to place a request.
Correspondence concerning articles published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease is encouraged. While derivative works (adaptations, extensions on the current work, etc.) are allowed, distribution of the modified material is not allowed without permission from the FFC.